Class AB

erniejade
erniejade Posts: 6,321
edited February 2009 in 2 Channel Audio
Does anyone make class AB amplifiers anymore outside of car audio?

It seemed like it was more popular in the 80's but now...... not so much.

I still own a class AB amp and it does have a great sound to it.


Just wondering.
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  • tcrossma
    tcrossma Posts: 1,301
    edited February 2009
    Every amp that I have used thus far have been AB - B&K 200.5, Belles Ref. 150A, and now my Pass X-150. I'm pretty sure that in the world of home audio it's still the most common type.
    Speakers: Polk LSi15
    Pre: Adcom GFP-750 with HT Bypass
    Amp: Pass Labs X-150
    CD/DVD Player: Classe CDP-10
    Interconnects: MIT Shortgun S3 Pro XLR
    Speaker cables: MIT MH-750 bi-wire
    TT:Micro Seiki DD-35
    Cartridge:Denon DL-160
    Phono Pre:PS Audio GCPH
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  • erniejade
    erniejade Posts: 6,321
    edited February 2009
    Thanks for the reply. When I did a serch for class AB amp, on google a ton of car stuff came up but and how they are made but nothing for the home My Integra from 83 is a class AB and was just seeing if it was still used.

    Thanks for the info.
    Klipsch The Nines, Audioquest Thunderbird Interconnect, Innuos Zen MK3 W4S recovery, Revolution Audio Labs USB & Ethernet, Border Patrol SE-I, Audioquest Niagara 5000 & Thunder, Cullen Crossover II PC's.
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  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,165
    edited February 2009
    erniejade wrote: »
    Does anyone make class AB amplifiers anymore outside of car audio?

    It seemed like it was more popular in the 80's but now...... not so much.

    I still own a class AB amp and it does have a great sound to it.


    Just wondering.

    Push/pull A/B amps are still more prevalent in today's audio than any other type. With switching type amps (Class D, G, H) gaining ground.

    The design of the input circuits as well as the topology and quality of parts used is very important.

    I've heard A/B amps that sound wonderful and A/B amps that sound like poo. The choice shouldn't always be made strictly on amplifier class.

    However, I am a huge fan of singled ended class A because of it's similarity to the transconductance of air and it's 2nd order harmonic type distortion characteristic's and excellent linearity properties
    "Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Pangea AC14SE MKII | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node 3 - Tubes add soul!
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  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,165
    edited February 2009
    tcrossma wrote: »
    Every amp that I have used thus far have been AB - B&K 200.5, Belles Ref. 150A, and now my Pass X-150. I'm pretty sure that in the world of home audio it's still the most common type.

    The X-150 while an A/B design by nature is a very special type topology and is not common among typical A/B amps. Nelson has a patent on this topology which can be read about in the owners manual of at Pass Labs website.

    All the "X" series amps run heavily into class A to begin with and then A/B.
    "Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Pangea AC14SE MKII | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node 3 - Tubes add soul!
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  • Systems
    Systems Posts: 14,873
    edited February 2009
    heiney9 wrote: »
    All the "X" series amps run heavily into class A before switching to Class B
    Doesn't that make it A/b.?
    Testing
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,804
    edited February 2009
    Virtually all amplifiers/receivers still operate in Class AB.
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